​Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 features the Big A and Tampa Bay Downs

by Ryan Martin

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing action from Aqueduct Racetrack and Tampa Bay Downs.

Live coverage will be available with America’s Day at the Races on FOX Sports. Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Kicking off the sequence in Race 7 [3:55 p.m.] at Aqueduct, Pristine Racing’s Shamrocked will seek to make his first start for trainer Michael Miceli a winning one in a six-furlong $10,000 claiming event. The son of Trappe Shot was previously fifth for a $40,000 tag at the Big A and seeks his first triumph since July 2019. Shamrocked was made the 5-2 morning line favorite by NYRA oddsmaker David Aragona.

Action shifts to Tampa Bay Downs for the following leg, where a field of eight assemble for the $100,000 Pelican going six furlongs. Headlining the accomplished group is consistent sprinter Edgemont Road, who has won four of his last six starts, including a last out allowance victory over the Oldsmar oval. In his lone start against stakes company, the son of Speightstown was third to Sleepy Eyes Todd and next-out Grade 1-winner True Timber in the Lafayette on November 7 at Keeneland. Trainer Terri Pompay sends out graded stakes winner Cool Arrow, who seeks his first victory since winning the Grade 3 Smile Sprint on September 5 at Gulfstream Park two starts back. Carded as Race 9, the Pelican has a scheduled post time of 4:19 p.m.

Aqueduct hosts the middle leg [Race 8, 4:25 p.m.], which is a six-furlong allowance optional claiming tilt featuring graded stakes winner Happy Farm for trainer Linda Rice. The veteran son of Ghostzapper will spin back off a week’s rest after winning on February 6 going six furlongs. LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stables’ Secret Rules has never finished off the board in seven lifetime starts and will attempt to keep his consistent record intact for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

For the penultimate leg, a field of 10 fillies and mares, plus four also-eligible entrants, will go into line racing for a $16,000 tag over the Tampa Bay Downs turf in pursuit of their first career win. Breaking from the rail is owner-trainer Michael Laurato’s C’Est Parti, who has shown improvement in her last pair of starts finishing a respective second and third for the same conditions and over the same course as Saturday’s event. Carded as the finale of Tampa Bay Downs’ 10-race program, the second to last leg will go off at 4:32 p.m.

The curtain closes on the sequence in the final race on Aqueduct’s Saturday card [Race 9, 4:55 p.m.], where New York-breds seek a first career triumph for a $25,000 tag going six furlongs. The 7-2 morning line favorite for the event is Lord Camden for trainer Chris Englehart, who saw his best finish in eight lifetime starts last out when finishing second as the post time favorite on January 22 at Aqueduct.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 - Saturday, February 13:

Leg A: Aqueduct-Race 7 (3:55 p.m.)

Leg B: Tampa Bay Downs-Race 9 $100K Pelican (4:19 p.m.)

Leg C: Aqueduct-Race 8 (4:25 p.m.)

Leg D: Tampa Bay Downs-Race 10 (4:32 p.m.)

Leg E: Aqueduct -Race 9 (4:55 p.m.)